It is a life affirming treasure to meet and connect with someone who sees the beauty in you immediately and shows it to you in meaningful ways. It is a rare and special miracle of life when you both feel the same way. Natashia came into my life when I had become numb to accepting support, positivity, and simple love. Her light shined into my dark corners where my demons were hiding...the demons who had convinced me to protect myself from the pain and vulnerability that can come with sharing my heart. I was safe but unloved.
For reasons I can’t understand, I let myself feel her love and support without regard for the possibility of hurt or rejection. What’s more, I allowed myself to give the love and support that she so clearly deserved. I immdiately felt my life changing. A lightness washed over me, and I was enveloped by a warm and comfortable sense of peace that continues to grow even as I share these words.
We have both seized opportunities to share our profound feelings of love, support and gratitude for each other in a variety of ways. There are no words that truly capture my gratitude for her and what she means to me. There is also an amazing irony at play. Perhaps the strongest feeling of all is how grateful I am to feel her gratitude for me. The most emotionally rewarding gift in this relationship turns out to be knowing that I make her feel loved, supported, and grateful.
Perhaps it sounds odd, or maybe you’ve experienced it yourself. Gratitude for gratitude is one of the most powerful and positive feelings I’ve ever experienced. So, I bought the set of keys GRATITUDE...one for her and one for me. Though we live 3 time zones apart, sharing these keys and their message will maintain the amazing bond we have created. I wish I could put my arms around her and pull her close enough to feel her heart beat against me. Until then, we can hold our GRATITUDE close to our hearts, literally.
-Jeff
